Week 3 stats and trends: plenty of playoff hope for 0-2 teams

MARATHON NOT SPRINT: History shows that 0-2 teams advance to the playoffs more often than people might think.  Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, 22 teams started 0-2 and still qualified for the postseason.
 
The 1993 Dallas Cowboys started 0-2 before winning Super Bowl XXVIII.  The 0-2 New England Patriots of 1996 played in Super Bowl XXXI, and in 2001, the 0-2 Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI.  Most recently, the 2007 New York Giants started 0-2 before winning Super Bowl XLII. 
 
0-2 teams to qualify for the playoffs (since 1990)

YEAR	TEAM	WINLESS START	ADVANCED TO:
1990	Houston Oilers	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
	Philadelphia Eagles	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
	New Orleans Saints	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1991	Atlanta Falcons	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1992	San Diego Chargers	0-4	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Pittsburgh Steelers	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
	Dallas Cowboys	0-2	Won Super Bowl XXVIII
1994	New England Patriots	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1995	Detroit Lions	0-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1996	New England Patriots	0-2	Lost Super Bowl XXXI
1998	Arizona Cardinals	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
	Buffalo Bills	0-3	Wild Card Playoffs
	New York Jets	0-2	Championship Game
2001	New England Patriots	0-2	Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002	Atlanta Falcons	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
	Pittsburgh Steelers	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
2003	Philadelphia Eagles	0-2	Championship Game
2006	Kansas City Chiefs	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
2007	New York Giants	0-2	Won Super Bowl XLII
2008	Miami Dolphins	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
	Minnesota Vikings	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
	San Diego Chargers	0-2	Divisional Playoffs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
THAT WAS CLOSE: In the NFL, there is little room for error.  One play can mean the difference between winning and losing, as games are often decided by the slimmest of margins – especially in 2010.
 
Close games have been a theme for the league after the first two weeks of play.  In fact, 19 of the 32 games (59.4%) have been decided by seven points or fewer, the most at this point of the season in NFL history.
 
With some excellent matchups slated for Week 3, games should continue to be thisclose.   If seven games are decided by seven-or-fewer points this weekend, the 2010 season will feature the most ever seven-points-or-fewer games through the first three weeks, topping the 1988 season, which had 26 such games. 
 
ELITE COMPANY: New York Jets running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON has recorded 180 scrimmage yards (138 rushing, 42 receiving) in the first two games of the season, upping his career totals to 12,628 rushing yards and 3,997 receiving yards.
 
This Sunday against Miami, Tomlinson needs three receiving yards to become the fifth player in NFL annals to record 12,000 rushing yards & 4,000 receiving yards.
 
Players with 12,000 rushing yards and 4,000 receiving yards

		RUSH YARDS	REC. YARDS	SCRIMMAGE YARDS
Walter Payton	Bears	16,726	4,538	21,264
Marshall Faulk	Colts, Rams	12,279	6,875	19,154
Marcus Allen	Raiders, Chiefs	12,243	5,411	17,654
Thurman Thomas	Bills, Dolphins	12,074	4,458	16,532
LaDainian Tomlinson*	Chargers, Jets	12,628	3,997	16,625

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* active player
 
BEST IN SHOW: Last week, Detroit Lions running back JAHVID BEST became the first rookie in NFL history with at least 75 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game.  In his first two games, Best has amassed 268 yards from scrimmage (98 rush, 170 receiving) and leads the NFL with five touchdowns (four rush, one receiving).
 
With two touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, Best would become the first player in NFL history to record seven touchdowns in his first three career games. 
 
Players with six touchdowns through first three games of their careers

		TDs, FIRST TWO GAMES	TDs, FIRST THREE GAMES
Dutch Sternaman	Bears	6	6
Billy Sims	Lions	5	6
Jahvid Best, Lions*	Lions	5	???

 

* active player

OPEN THE GATES: Through the first two games of the 2010 season, San Diego Chargers tight end ANTONIO GATES has 10 receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns, tied for first in the AFC. 
 
Gates, who has 62 career receiving touchdowns, needs one touchdown catch this week to surpass SHANNON SHARPE for second-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history.  Atlanta Falcons tight end TONY GONZALEZ ranks first with 82. 
 
Tight ends with the most TD catches in NFL history

Player	Team(s)	TD CATCHES	GAMES PLAYED
Tony Gonzalez*	Chiefs, Falcons	82	208
Antonio Gates*	Chargers	62	111
Shannon Sharpe	Broncos, Ravens	62	204
Jerry Smith	Redskins	60	168
Wesley Walls	49ers, Saints, Panthers, Packers	54	196

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* active players

By Kerry Byrne